My father tapped his heavy gold signet ring against his wine glass, the sharp metallic click cutting right through my six-year-old son’s chatter. Noah immediately dropped his fork onto his plate.
The dining room table was set with the fine porcelain my mother only brought out when she wanted to soften my father’s mood. Every piece of heavy silver was perfectly aligned, reflecting the yellow glow of the crystal chandelier that hung too low over the mahogany.
“We had to put a deposit down three months ago,” Vanessa said, her voice rising to a high, thin pitch as she gestured with her salad fork. “But Eric insisted we couldn’t compromise on comfort, even if the dealer had to order the leather from Germany.”
My mother, Susan, smoothed her cloth napkin over her knees for the fourth time since the roast was carved. She kept her eyes fixed on the silver gravy boat, her soft face drawn into a tight, apologetic mask.
“A proper vehicle is a professional necessity for Eric,” my father said, his booming voice easily filling the room. He did not look at me when he spoke, keeping his eyes on Vanessa. “When you are managing a regional office, you cannot arrive in something that looks like it belongs in a junkyard.”
I twisted my silver wedding band around my finger, feeling the cool metal drag against my skin. The silence in the room grew heavier, the only sound the soft hum of the radiator beneath the window.
“The station wagon is perfectly safe, Grandfather,” Noah said, his small voice brave but hesitant.
“Eat your dinner, Noah,” I said slowly, pausing between my words to keep my voice from shaking.
“Your mother is right, Noah,” my father said, finally turning his sharp blue eyes toward me. “Some people are content with what is functional, while others understand that appearance is a marker of character.”
“Daniel works sixty hours a week to keep our family secure,” I said, my hand still resting on my silver band.
Vanessa let out a nervous laugh, her fingers instantly reaching for her phone screen as it flashed with a silent notification. “Of course he does, Emily, nobody is saying he doesn’t work hard.”
